1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates in general to a toy track and, more particularly, to a toy track with improved resistance to creasing and breakage.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It is well known in the art to provide tracks for use in association with motorized and non-motorized toy cars. While rigid tracks may be used in association with motorized cars, for non-motorized cars a more flexible track is desirable. For typical 1/64 scale cars, a flexible track allows the track to be mounted at various heights and in various positions. The flexibility allows the track to be manipulated to change the path of cars moving along the track as desired. The flexibility also allows the track to be configured with undulations, curves and “jumps” to further add play value to the track.
To prevent cars from leaving the track, prior art tracks are typically provided with rails to maintain the toy cars on a predetermined path. One drawback associated with such prior art rails is that the stiffness of the rails causes the track to crease permanently when the track is bent. If the thickness of the track is increased to prevent creasing, when the track is bent, the rails crease instead. Such permanent creasing in the track or rails can cause the toy cars to leave the track and, over time, can cause the track or rails to rip or tear.
Another drawback associated with such prior art tracks is that since the tracks cannot be bent to a tight curvature, the tracks cannot be coiled upon themselves for transport or storage. Accordingly, prior art tracks are often provided a plurality of straight sections which may be connected to one another using plastic fasteners or the like. The use of such fasteners, however, adds the additional drawback of increased rigidity at the point of connection. Because the track cannot be bent to a tight curvature, supplemental systems must be provided specialized track sections to create loops or the like for toy cars to traverse. Because such specialized track sections are typically provided at the ends of the straight sections of track, the loops may be positioned only at predetermined points along the track. Another drawback associated with the prior art tracks is the difficulty in arranging races between multiple toy vehicles. In the prior art, for racing, two tracks must typically be mounted next to one another. Unless the two tracks are mounted in a precisely identical manner, however, the toy vehicles running along the tracks will move at different speeds, thereby providing one or the other of the toy tracks with an advantage over the other. It would be desirable to provide a multi-lane track to eliminate these drawbacks.
It would be desirable to provide a toy track which is flexible and may be bent around a tight curvature. It would also be desirable to provide such a toy track of a long unitary construction which may be coiled for storage and transport. It would further be desirable to provide means for creating loops in the track at any desired location along the track. It would further be desirable to provide multi-lane racing track. The difficulties encountered in the prior art discussed hereinabove are substantially eliminated by the present invention.